Of Parties and Dresses
by Elsceetaria
Summary: This goes with Tilting. Written for PPF2010 over at Glake.


Kel was excited to be back in Corus for Midwinter. Well, okay, she really was excited and a little stressed out. She still had gifts to buy, and being in the capital she did not have an excuse to skip the parties. Parties meant dresses (or tunics and breeches), but regardless of whether she dressed as lady or knight, such occasions required new clothing of the appropriate grade. Nonetheless, she needed to visit Lalassa to have such garments prepared.

The shop was the hub of activity as Kel approached the front door. All Lalassa's regular employees as well as the extras she had hired on for this, her busy season, were busy with reams of fabric, shears, needles, and thread. Although, Kel had sent Lalassa a letter about her plans to come later that day, she was prepared to wait.

As quietly as possible, Kel slipped into her former maid's shop. After leaving a message for Lalassa with one of the regular employees who knew her, Kel proceeded to sit down on a chair set in that corner for just that purpose, waiting. Kel had barely had time to sit down before Lalassa came out from behind the screen where she typically met with customers for fitting and the such.

"Keladry, how nice to see you. Dare I ask what you have done to that tunic."

"I haven't done anything to it, that I don't normally do," she replied examining the edges of her light blue tunic. It was a little worn. "Your shop appears to be thriving."

"That it is. That it is. I was with another customer, but she says for you to come on back. I have plenty of room in the back for both of you." Kel proceeded to follow Lalassa into the more private area wondering what kind of customer was allowed to call the shots around here. It didn't take long before she received an answer in the form of alabaster skin, bright green eyes, and crows black hair that even graying combined with features to create an image as if from a painter's hand.

"Your Majesty," Kel proclaimed from both surprise and respect. Carefully, Kel bowed the proper bow for a knight to her sovereign.

"Keladry of Mindelan. You are looking as fit as ever," The queen replied. It was a proper statement of observation for a warrior returning from battle.

Lalassa took the moment Kel had used to calculate a response to break into the conversation, "Okay, Keladry if you could just go stand over there."

Following Lalassa's point, Kel walked over to stand a few feet from the Queen facing her. She, however, could not leave the conversation as it stood, "I am, Your Majesty."

"Keladry are you looking for breeches and tunics or for dresses," Lalassa inquired.

"I believe I will be needing both since there are several nights of parties to attend. I can wear breeches for the private parties, but my appearance in a dress will be required at the more formal parties. Will it not?"

"But of course, actually if you were not there I might have to find some way of punishing you."

Kel did not want to think of Thayet's idea of punishment for skirting social duty. There could be all kinds of torture that woman could accomplish with a single word. "And so I will be there."

Lalassa took that as her cue to come over with various light blue, grey, and silver velvets and silks. "I was thinking silk on the dresses and shirts and velvet on the tunic and breeches. Of course straight silk is too light for this time of year, but if I mixed in some velvet, you should be warm enough."

"Of course," Kel replied.

"I envy your ability to wear such simple clothing and light colors," Thayet said, and Kel noticed for the first moment exactly how bright and extravagant the gown the older woman was wearing was. "Jon, however, insists that we coordinate for this ball, so I will be wearing Conte blue with hundreds of diamonds sewn in."

"I'm sure that all eyes in the room will be on you, Your Majesty."

"That is quite the correct answer. Now what do you really think of this dress? I know you are not afraid of speaking your mind."

"It looks quite heavy, and diamonds in a dress seem the most impractical thing."

Thayet smiled in response, "They really are quite impractical. Did you ever hear about the time I went running off with the riders ruining some pink silk number that had cost a fortune?"

"I don't believe that I have."

"Nevermind, there will be time enough for stories later. At least, I won't be ruining Lalassa's fine work by answering the rider's call. You really do look quite lovely in that color."

It seemed that while Kel and the Queen had exchanged polite banter Lalassa had been hard at work draping the Lady Knight in silk of the lightest sky blue. It did accentuate her slightly tanned skin in the same way that Thayet's bright gown paled hers further. Not that anyone would notice the paled skin unless, they looked very closely.

The party was in full swing. The pages and squires wandered with trays overloaded with food and drink. It hadn't been so many years, that she couldn't feel their pain. It had, however, been enough years that she didn't have any friends within the group. In fact, her own squire should be somewhere around here. At least, she wouldn't have to look for her knight master behind draperies as she once had had to do.

Kel looked around. Everyone was dressed up in their nicest finery. Beautiful gown and tunics in every color graced the ball room. Some were swaying on the dance floor while others lingered on the fringes in quiet conversation. The one color she was looking for was nowhere to be seen.

She had hoped that she could make an appearance, present herself to the Queen, and then slip out to spend time with her friends in the map room. Where was the Queen? Well, if Kel couldn't find her, then she would simply go to the map room and either try to find the queen again later or hope that gossip of her presence reached her later. Actually, since Shinko and Roald were sure to be a part of the map room gathering, she could trust that news of her presence would reach the Queen if she did not.

But then, as Kel entered the map room, she saw the most beautiful blue gown. She noticed the way the diamonds stood out against the Conte blue field long before she noticed the woman wearing it. Walking up to the queen, she said, "That really is the most beautiful gown I have ever seen."

"Yes, but it is also the most impractical. I am sure."

"Yes, I am sure that it is. Lalassa did a wonderful job on it, though. Are those sapphires in with the diamonds?"

"Yes they are. Perhaps we could go thank her together later."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Please call me Thayet."

"Of course," Keladry said with a smile.

It was a couple of nights later, when Kel noticed a very familiar green and gold tunic. It appeared to be wool, not plush velvet. Perhaps she should recommend that Alan visit Lalassa to have a dress tunic made similar to the ones she used to wear. In fact, she might have given hers to him if he wasn't so short. Anyways, he should know where his knight commander was assuming he wasn't hiding behind a drapery somewhere. This being a "small" gathering he shouldn't be, though.

"Alan have you seen Raoul?"

"Um. . . Actually, I was looking for him. I had a message for him from the queen."

Having a pretty good idea what the message was about, Kel offered, "If you think you could point me in the right direction, I'll take it for you."

"Thanks," he said and suggested that she try his chambers. As she approached the doors that had been her home for four years, she knocked, and then she waited. It seemed like an eternity later that he finally answered. He was wearing only his pants, and they certainly weren't his nice ones, that he should be wearing seeing as how his attendance was required at the party. Figuring that he had been having a soirée with Buri before the party, Kel decided to think nothing of it. "I have a message for you from the queen, sir."

"What have we talked about you calling me sir? And since when do you run the Queen's message's?"

"Actually, Thayet sent it with Alan, but I intercepted it, sir."

Unfolding the note, Raoul smiled and looked at Kel, "Really now?"

"Yes sir."

It was then that Kel noticed the sheets rumpling. Looking back, she noticed that it was not in fact Buri in his bed, but her former maid turned seamstress. How odd she thought, until she noticed Buri standing in the corner adjusting her outfit for the party.

"You really should be getting to the party," Kel told them turning to leaving using her best Yamani face to hide the smile from her face. How did all this happen she wondered?


End file.
